HOUSTON -- It was a mind-boggling moment in an otherwise forgettable game, one Sarunas Jasikevicius probably will remember for years to come.

"Can you believe that?" he asked, shaking his head as he returned to his locker following the Sophomores' 106-96 victory over the Rookies in the Rookie Challenge on Friday. "They were right there on the court."
The Indiana Pacers rookie nearly suffered a significant injury when he stepped on a photographer's foot in the second half of the game at Toyota Center, one that would have been all the more miserable given the circumstances.

The NBA allowed photographers to sit along the sideline, and made no effort to keep them as far as possible from the playing court. Jasikevicius, playing along the right baseline, stepped on one whose feet were inching over the out-of-bounds line and sprained his left ankle.

He had it wrapped in ice afterward, but didn't seem too concerned.
"I don't think it's anything serious," said Jasikevicius, who hit 1-of-3 3-pointers in 13 minutes. "It just adds more to the bad experience of losing."
The Pacers' other rookie representative, Danny Granger, finished with nine points in 22 minutes. He hit 2-of-4 3-pointers.

Granger was fouled on one 3-pointer attempt and appealed to the referee for a foul. The referee, more aware of the "meaning" of the game, only laughed.

Still, Granger and Jasikevicius considered the game enjoyable.
"It's nice to be able to lose a game and not be upset about it.," Granger said.

Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala led the Sophomore team with 30 points, hitting 13-of-17 shots, and was voted Most Valuable Player.
Granger will stay in Houston for the remainder of All-Star weekend.

Jasikevicius will catch the first plane out for New York to visit with friends.
"More cold weather," he said, smiling. "I don't get enough of it in Indy."

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Los Angeles

02-18-2006, 01:02 PM

I'll just add a smilie: :mad:

blow

02-18-2006, 01:05 PM

Well it seems the Pacers are gonna need to play Eddie Gill for a while :)